The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, What recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues about the Government’s policy on devolution and decentralisation.
Mr Nick Clegg
I meet regularly with Ministerial colleagues to discuss this Government’s policy of decentralising responsibility to the most appropriate levels.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had about the British Indian Ocean Territory resettlement feasibility study.
Mark Simmonds
The feasibility study has now begun in earnest and the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Administration continue to welcome views on it. Since the summer of 2013, BIOT officials have carried out three consultations, receiving responses from all major groups representing Chagossians and others with an interest. There will be further key consultation as the study progresses. We have also consulted with the Governments of the United States, Seychelles and Mauritius.
In November, the Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to look at this issue transparently in response to the Chagos Islands (BIOT) All Party Parliamentary Group’s (APPG) debate in the House of Lords. I have exchanged several letters with the Chair of the Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG about the study and I have also discussed the study with the Mauritian Foreign Minister during a meeting at the African Union Summit in January. I subsequently wrote to the Mauritian Foreign Minister inviting the Mauritian Government’s engagement, which they have declined.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates committed suicide in prison between 2010 and 2013.
Jeremy Wright
The number of self-inflicted deaths in each year is published in the Safety in Custody statistics bulletin. The latest bulletin was published on 24 April and can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics.
We are working hard to manage the levels of self-harm in prison and are carefully investigating the rise in self-inflicted deaths.
We are providing further resources and support to prisons to help support their safer custody work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase links between education and employment.
Matthew Hancock
The government’s aim is to ensure that young people are equipped with the skills, experience and qualifications that employers want. The introduction of 16-19 study programmes will expand the provision of genuine work experience and work-related learning for all post-16 students. We have invested in new apprenticeships that are more employer-led than ever before, and introduced traineeships to give young people the skills and experience they need to compete successfully for a job. From September 2014, the Tech Level qualifications will provide a high-quality vocational alternative to A levels, leading to a recognised occupation.
These and other reforms arising from Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 review of vocational education have led to far-reaching improvements in vocational education. These include employer recognition of qualifications and simplified and better-funded arrangements for work experience.
Our reforms to GCSEs and A levels will secure rigorous, challenging qualifications which are responsive to the needs of students and employers. New GCSEs in English and mathematics, which will provide greater assurance of literacy and numeracy, will be taught from September 2015, with the first examinations in summer 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to reduce the amount of stamp duty paid by first-time home buyers.
Mr David Gauke
The stamp duty land tax relief for first time buyers in existence between March 2010 and March 2012 was found by HMRC to be ineffective in increasing the number of first time buyers entering the market.
The Government is instead taking other steps to support those wishing to purchase a home, such as the Help to Buy and NewBuy schemes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to decide whether Cape Pyla in the Cyprus sovereign base area of Dhekelia will be designated as a protected area.
Mr Mark Francois
Designation of Cape Pyla as a Special Area of Conservation under the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife Ordinance 2007 is being considered. As part of this process, the Administration must take account of representations about the proposed designation before making a final decision. It is hoped that a decision on designation can be achieved in 2015, following the consultation period and work to determine the precise boundaries of the designated area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with members of the US Administration on recent developments in Northern Ireland.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
I and officials in the NIO have remained in close contact with the US Administration on Northern Ireland matters such as the discussions to make progress on flags, parades and dealing with the past.
I have also discussed with representatives of the US Government the importance of rebalancing the economy and building a genuinely shared future for everyone in Northern Ireland. I am grateful for all their support for a better future for Northern Ireland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of readiness to defend its Overseas Territories in the event of attack.
Mr Mark Francois
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) regularly consults with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments and intelligence agencies, as well as our allies and partners, constantly to review or identify potential threats to UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs). In the first instance the MOD seeks to deter such attacks using deterrence measures including, where necessary, permanently based military garrisons or dedicated patrols, visits by deployed military forces, and more broadly the maintenance of world class deployable military forces. Should deterrence fail to prevent an attack, the Department remains confident that it has the necessary contingency plans and high readiness deployable forces in the UK and elsewhere to respond accordingly to any attack on a UKOT.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department spent on biodiversity conservation in (a) the UK and (b) the Overseas Territories in 2013-14.
Dan Rogerson
We are collating the information requested and will place it in the House Library as soon as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to relieve congestion on roads.
Mr Robert Goodwill
This Government is committed to investing in infrastructure to reduce traffic congestion. This means spending £24 billion on strategic roads over this and the next Parliament, and accelerating the pace of delivery so that people affected see a difference more quickly.
This includes a £500 million programme of pinch point schemes specifically targeted at tackling congestion on both the strategic and local road network, and a further £800 million being invested in 25 local major road schemes.
We have previously announced £183.5m for road repairs following the severe weather this winter and in the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced a further £200 millionfunding for pothole repairs. Of this, £168m will assist Councils in England, with the remaining £32m allocated to the devolved administrations.